Luck
by Skippy Soggy and Womble
Summary: Skippy: Joshua had never had much luck coming his way but one day that changed. JN Ex-Oneshot
1. Chapter 1

Skippy: Finally decided on (and completed) a fic (sort of) on my own. If you like it I may write more... if not well... I'll go hide somewhere dark...

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Joshua had never been particularly lucky, he had learnt all the tricks to make it seems like he was, but he had terrible luck. He'd mastered sleight of hand quickly and he had found it easy to replace a normal coin with one with two heads- he had even won gold from the prince of Frelia, tricking him easily. He had run away from his home, where he could have been king and instead joined a mercenary group in an attempt to learn. He'd expected to learn about what the common person needed but all he learnt was that everyone wanted money and sometimes they would resort to dirty tricks to getting it. He remembered how once half the group had dressed up like the local bandits and attacked a village (soon he realised these were the local bandits). The other half had come to the village offering protection- for a price. Then he met Caellach- they had been friends but now... he'd killed Joshua's mother. His sword teacher had betrayed the country in an attempt to secure the love of his mother. And they'd burnt down the palace, his home from his childhood.

His mother had died just as he'd decided to go home, taken from him just as he was about to accept his responsibility and duties. And then to become so involved in a war that had taken over the entire continent, war against the empire of Grado and ancient demons of incredible power, great allies across 4 nations and bonds like no other made and broken.

But he'd gotten luckier when he met Her. He had loved her from the beginning, meeting her in Serafew where she was to be killed; her words had convinced him to change sides. She was kind, good natured- she'd never said a bad word about anyone. And he'd been able to protect her when she healed the wounded. There had been times when his heart had almost stopped in the fighting, where she'd run straight into a mass of Demons to warn the villagers that evil was coming with no regard for her own safety. But then he could rush in just as she noticed the mortal danger and be a hero, save her life and feel so happy when he knew she was safe. The feeling never lasted long as she'd soon have to dash off into another batch of demons to heal one of their comrades and he'd have to charge in again. It was an established pattern. She went to save someone- getting herself in trouble in the process, and then he'd have to go and save her. And then it would start again.

He could see her as the queen of Jehanna. She was compassionate, kind, friendly and selfless, the people would love her. She'd try to help them always, like she always did on the battle field. She'd help him repair the castle- heal it. That was what Jehanna needed, a healer. She was his angel. His dearest Natasha. He knew his mother would have liked her.

Would have... That was his biggest regret, that his mother would never see the man he had become and the woman he loved and who he sincerely hoped loved him back. All he could do was look after the country and be a good king. Like his mother was a good queen. And hope that he would be remembered as a good king, a kind king. A strong king and, he hoped, one with an amazing Queen. After all, he must have SOME luck coming his way, right?

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Skippy: R&R


	2. Chapter 2

Skippy: I was just going to make this a one shot but the reviewers asked for more

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Soon after the end of the war Joshua returned to Jehanna. The final battle had passed quickly, he had attacked a zombie dragon to save Natasha once more and the battle ended. He had watched as Eirika and Ephraim spoke to the dying necromancer on the steps at the back. Killed the demons as they came towards him and Natasha who was healing those who Fortmortiis' attacks had hurt. It had passed quickly. Too quickly. 

And now his time with Natasha had come to an end. He hadn't dared mention marriage to her- he didn't want to get his hopes up only to have them crushed. She served the people, she'd only joined the war effort to help Grado and it was Grado she served now. He looked through the scorched halls of the castle, wondering what she would have done with them if she was there. She would have made them look incredible. He dreaded the arrival of the decorators the next day; he would never be able to get the castle to look good or even like it was. He couldn't even find pleasure in mastering the latest fighting styles or honing his already formidable sword-work.

He looked around at the shrine where the sacred stone used to be housed. He had replaced the two sacred artefacts there on his return; Audhulma still bore the stains of demon blood. His normally rotten luck had given her to him for a short time... he doubted whether he'd EVER have enough luck to gain her forever now.

She was in Grado, the other side of the continent, a place he was unlikely to visit. His diplomatic visits would take him to Renais where the current ruler of Grado resided. It was difficult to arrange a visit to the Steward as he was frequently in discussions with planners who were helping to rebuild the city after the earthquake and when he wasn't talking about the reconstruction he was helping.

The reconstruction of Jehanna was taking up most his own time. He'd insisted on replanting the gardens himself, knowing it had been a passion of his mothers after his father had died. Now she was buried beside him in the garden, among the scorched plants.

He could take a holiday and travel there for no reason but his 'advisors' would encourage him to stay somewhere in Jehanna. He summoned all the excuses he could think of: to watch the fighters at the arena to see if he could pick up new techniques, to personally offer Jehanna's help in the rebuild, to speak to the stonemasons of Grado to help redesign the throne room. His advisors would never take those feeble excuses; in fact the stonemasons of Grado _**were**_ the decorators who were arriving tomorrow.

His luck had run out again, like the invasion of Jehanna. But now he would keep it safe, protect it. He shouldn't leave his own country just in aid of his efforts to woo a woman. Even if she was special to him. He'd marry a princess as was customary to princes of Magvel, like Ephraim planned to marry L'Arachel and Innes to Eirika. But they were good couples matched in the war- like he had been to Natasha. Inseperable- or so he had thought.

He took his lucky coin from his pocket. If it was heads he'd go to Grado, if he got tails he'd stay in Jehanna and forget about everything. He flipped the coin in the air: Tails. There was a knock on the large thrown room door.

"Sir there's someone here to see you"

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Skippy: There will eventually be 3 chapters. Read and Review 


	3. Chapter 3

Skippy: I'll keep updating as long as you ask me to or until I run out of ideas. Perhaps the reviewers could tell me should I do the next chapter from Natasha's point of view or Joshua's?

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She didn't know why she'd done it. It'd never been a sensible idea and her friends took great pleasure in telling her so. She had been happy and now she wasn't. She'd never realised how much joy being around the sword master had given her. It was strange; this war had brought pain but so much healing too. She had missed him when she returned to Grado and it had made her miserable.

He'd lost his bet that he'd made to her. He'd made her miserable. He had invited her back to Jehanna very early on in their trip and he'd forgotten what he said. She'd thought it would make no difference and didn't mention it again. Then he started spending more time with Princess Eirika and Lady L'Arachel.

He couldn't come to Grado, he was prince of a country on the other side of the continent. He'd probably found himself some ditzy princess with a better figure who liked nothing more than shopping and dancing.

Yes, she concluded. He must be marrying L'Arachel. She chided herself; it was not right for a cleric to think of another person in that way. It wasn't 'holy'. She had no quarrels with L'Arachel and had found her perfectly pleasant but the thought of losing the man she loved to her... She blushed slightly at the thought- yes she loved him. It was simple, the moment her words had convinced her to switch sides she saw the good in his soul and soon found the love in his words.

Perhaps she could just work in Jehanna, see him every now and then with his ditzy princess wife and be happy to know that he was well and that his kingdom was prospering and he was happy. She could almost gamble on the idea that he would be happy. Well she couldn't Cleric's won't supposed to gamble. Nor were they meant to love but she couldn't bring herself away from the idea.

Maybe she had a chance. It was luck after all. Every time he tossed that coin it was luck, and he usually lost. He'd lost that bet- she was most certainly not happy. But he'd won his first one, she had fallen for him but she wasn't sure if he felt the same...

Could he have ever felt the same? She was just some commoner, dragged on the mission because she's been in the wrong place at the wrong time... He was a prince, and royalty could never marry commoners. It just wasn't done. At least... not before...

She wondered whether if she had never met him would she have been happy? Perhaps she'd have made other friends on the trip and perhaps joined them after the war. She thought about the others on the trip. She had never felt much of a connection with the other members of the party but perhaps this was due to her friendship with Joshua. But that friendship was something she had needed to give her a reason to fight. And it had, she had a reason to heal and a country to heal but her own heart was broken and she needed to know if Joshua would help heal it.

She stood outside the large mahogany doors, waiting, staring at the dark marks left by the flames. Not knowing what she'd find when she spoke to him- if she'd even speak to him. Would she even get through the doors- she wasn't a diplomat or anything. She had no status, nothing to grant her permission. She stood, wondering if she should have come at all...

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Skippy: R&R :D


	4. Chapter 4

Skippy: Finished at last. Hopefully. Womble's being bullying me to get this done for weeks. (and attacking me with chocobos but he's weird like that)

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As the large doors opened, Natasha strode in purposefully, ignoring the scorch marks dyeing the foreboding walls black. "Y...You've lost your bet" Not the most brilliant opening sentence, Natasha decided, but it summed up all that she wanted to say. She hadn't realised how much putting her feeling out there could possibly scare her. She NEVER stuttered. 

Joshua looked confused, she'd hoped she wouldn't have to explain- every detail of that conversation was engraved in her mind, the look on his face- the sincerity in his eyes. "You said you couldn't afford to lose the bet. Well you lost. What do I win?"

Joshua stood there bewildered, "Natasha, what bet?"

"You said you'd make me happy. I'm miserable, Joshua, I really am. You failed." The tears were building up in her eyes. She couldn't cry. She couldn't show how much this prince meant to her. There was no option of marriage- he was a prince. She was a bishop- some over-dressed cleric.

Understanding reached the prince's face "I said... I said I'd have to work hard to achieve it. I... I didn't include a final date..." Joshua mentally sighed; this wasn't the first time his quick thinking had saved him- and Natasha.

"So what? You have some form of new Joshu-esque plan? Like running away from your responsibilities? Like... Like completely messing up my life in Grado because I can't stop thinking about you?" She won't cry. She won't. She was strong. She was always strong. She would understand. She would not cry.

That comment cut deep. Natasha did know him well. She had a way of invoking guilt into the most conscience free man. Caellach would have retreated if faced with a fired up Natasha. But the comment hurt. Pain from a cleric. How unusual.

Joshua snarled; he had to defend himself and his actions, "You think ruling Jehanna has been easy when all I can think about is how much better you'd be at rebuilding this country than I am? That I had to come back here where my mother died right before my eyes alone? And that I couldn't avenge her death because Ephraim and Eirika couldn't possibly allow me out on the battlefield fuelled only by revenge? I had to watch Cormag take revenge for the death of Sunstone while Duessel destroyed the man I should have killed. I arrived in time to defend my home from an invasion and they need me now. I barely have time to eat in between planning meetings and rebuilding- I haven't slept in a week. I had to send a quarter of my construction crew to Grado, not because they'd asked me to- but because I knew that would be what you would have wanted me to do. I have thought every day about what a mistake I made by not saying good-bye before leaving Rausten. I have been beating myself up about this for the last 3 months!" Joshua's voice got louder as he remembered everything- all the feelings. He'd had to leave. Ephraim and Innes insisted he left with an escort and the Jehannan mercenaries had decided to leave on such short notice- he'd only just had time to grab Audhulma and Excalibur to return them to their rightful places. He hadn't told anyone in the camp that he was leaving.

Natasha turned away, walking briskly to the door. If she spoke again she'd hurt him more. The hurt in his voice- the hard, defensive tone. The sword-master focusing on defence, pushed on to his back foot. She hurt him- how could she expect forgiveness. She marched in here presuming everything- what was she thinking? That he'd instantly remember every conversation they'd had? Sweep her off her feet? That they could run away to some far off place where it didn't matter that they were prince and cleric?

Why did she do this to herself? Because she was unlucky? Because...

"Natasha?" Joshua paled. This is what the coin was telling him. _He_ didn't need to go to Grado- she would come here and he would say everything. But he didn't. He pushed her away. Blasted coins.

"Natasha, wait!"

Natasha stopped, her hand on the door, ready to leave, hoping Cormag might still be around to fly her back to Grado.

"Natasha? Please. Wait. I... I don't know what I'm saying. I didn't mean that. I know that there are so many reasons why we can't be together. I know that **I** want us to be together and I think I know that you want us to be together." Joshua was visibly shaking. The bold, daring mercenary prince- no, King of Jehanna scared out of his wits. "Natasha? Please. Stay."

Natasha sobbed. Joshua rose, walking towards her. "Stay." And he pulled her into his chest.

_**Lucky at last.**_

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Skippy: done :D R&R 


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